Residential Burglar Arrested
updated: Dec 03, 2012, 3:29 PM

Source: SBPD

Celedonio Torres Aguirre, age 44, of Santa Barbara, was arrested for residential burglary after he was confronted by the victim, a 51-year old woman, when she returned home.

On November 30, 2012 at 12:41 p.m., officers from the Santa Barbara Police Department responded to a call of a residential burglary that had just occurred on the 700 block of Juanita Avenue. The victim returned home to find Aguirre standing in her bedroom hallway. She asked him what he was doing in her house and he replied, "I'm looking for my pet." As the victim continued to question Aguirre he fled the scene. Taken in the burglary was approximately $1000.00 worth of jewelry and coins.

The victim called SBPD, prompting several officers to respond including Property Crimes Detective John Ingram. At 1:05 p.m. Detective Ingram was driving on the 1200 block of W. Valerio Street when he saw Aguirre, whom he knows from past burglary investigations. Aguirre had been arrested for a series of burglaries earlier in the year and was out of custody on bail. Detective Ingram saw that Aguirre's clothing and physical description matched the suspect description provided by the victim and stopped him. Immediately upon being contacted by Detective Ingram Aguirre stated, "I should not have gone into that lady's house." Detective Ingram recovered the victim's stolen property from Aguirre's pockets and detained him at that location until the victim could be transported there for and in-field show-up (a type of live line-up). The victim positively identified Aguirre as the man she confronted in her house.

Aguirre was arrested and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for residential burglary with a bail amount of $50,000.00. Photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

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MUG SHOT GALLERY

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 349848	2012-12-03 04:00 PM
Nicely done.
COMMENT 349862	2012-12-03 04:26 PM
He's lucky, because he would have been shot if I found him in my home.
COMMENT 349880	2012-12-03 05:03 PM
I don't how I got the nerve to "confront" him. Just a territorial honey badger I guess.
COMMENT 349884P	2012-12-03 05:08 PM
This is not OK that he's done it several times before!!! Where's the mug? I am pretty sure if a jerk was standing in my hall, with my jewelry, I'd feel OK shooting him in the knees.
COMMENT 349885	2012-12-03 05:13 PM
I'm just glad the Honey Badger was not injured. Tough is not the same as immortal.
COMMENT 349893	2012-12-03 05:34 PM
880.... If you are the victim...Nicely done... I am very happy you didn't get hurt!
COMMENT 349903P	2012-12-03 05:55 PM
Priceless: 'I'm looking for my pet." I'm going to remember that line. 3 cheers for poster honey badger! Or for the real honey badger in this incident.
COMMENT 349905	2012-12-03 06:02 PM
Thanks! I'm consoled by the burglar's remorse. But I do have a question: If you're already out on bail when you get arrested, can you really get OUT on bail again? Inquiring honey badgers want to know. By the way, KUDOS to Detective Ingram and all the hardworking members of the SBPD. Their quick action recovered my stuff. Extremely grateful all around.
COMMENT 349934P	2012-12-03 07:54 PM
You were lucky, 905! I, and many others I'm sure, are so very glad you are safe! And it is really nice to get your stuff back. Keep talking with Det. Ingram; I'm sure he can also direct you to others who can answer your questions.
MESARATS	2012-12-03 07:54 PM
Good going honey badger.
COMMENT 349948P	2012-12-03 09:44 PM
I shudder to think the bad turn this could have taken. Am I the only one who watches "Criminal Minds?" You see someone strange in your home, you get the heck out of there. THEN you call the police.
COMMENT 349979	2012-12-04 06:49 AM
this guy robbed my house earlier this year. he took about 2K worth of stuff. we was arrested and confessed. I am surprised he was able to make bail.
COMMENT 349980	2012-12-04 06:50 AM
Aside from money, guns are the best thing a burglar can find while robbing a home. They're great--there's an ever-present market for untraceable guns amongst criminals, so they're ready-cash. They come in handy if you run into the homeowner too, who will most likely end up being shot while looking for the gun he bought to defend his home.
COMMENT 350002	2012-12-04 08:27 AM
Get him in the ??
ROGER DODGER	2012-12-04 08:39 AM
A subject was detained Monday Evening also as a possible intruder in another home, I always think maybe the intruder is a husband, son, daughter, not expected home. Usually when some one reports an intruder it's an intruder.
COMMENT 350160	2012-12-04 01:34 PM
In this case, the cops acted quickly and justice prevailed, so that seems to argue against the use of guns. IMO, no good can come from a gun, even if you use it against a bad guy. As far as this burglar goes, I heard from a reliable source that he's addicted to Meth. And that he has a wife and two kids. They would suffer if he was shot, as would the shooter. As it is, his family will be affected by the consequences of his actions.

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